A New York State Department of Transportation employee was arrested after he was charged with defrauding the workers’ compensation system and stealing insurance benefits that he was not entitled to.

Joshua D. Newman of North Road in Wilson, NY was arrested and charged with grand larceny in the third degree, insurance fraud in the third degree, offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree and violation of workers’ compensation law section 114(1), penalties for fraudulent practices – all felonies. He allegedly stole $11,441 in workers’ compensation insurance benefits between August and December 2017.

An investigation by the New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro found that he began receiving workers’ comp benefits in July of 2017 when he was injured while working for the New York State Department of Transportation.

Newman subsequently reported to the insurance carrier, the New York State Insurance Fund, that he had not returned to work in any capacity. However, the investigation found he was working at his own business, Niagara Pole Barn, and doing other various work for pay.

“The defendant’s deliberate deception to unlawfully obtain workers’ compensation benefits is yet another example of wrongdoing that compromises the integrity of an important system to protect the economic stability of truly injured workers,” said Inspector General Tagliafierro. “My office will continue to diligently combat such fraud to both hold wrongdoers accountable and deter further abuse of the system.”

Read the press release from the Office of the New York State Inspector General.